T-Series launches devotional phone

The phone is called Bhakti Sagar and features several devotional applications, videos and songs. It will be sold only through Homeshop18.com.

T-Series, one of India's leading music companies, has launched a new phone aimed at religious Hindus. The phone, called Bhakti Sagar, is loaded with religious features such as Aartis, Bhajans and Shabads in multiple languages, as well as Tirath Yatra apps, and yoga tips.

The phone features an SOS button for emergency situations. When the SOS button is pressed the phone dials a stored emergency number. It tries to connect to the number thrice,, and if the number does not respond, it contacts the number last dialed from it.

This is a dual SIM phone with a 2.2 inch screen, 1.3 megapixel camera and an LED torch. The device has Bluetooth and GPRS connectivity options, FM Radio with recording, and it supports up to 8 GB of expandable memory.

T-Series, which gained popularity thanks to the devotional CDs it initially sold, is trying to recreate that success in the mobile space with this phone.

The phone also comes with an added feature of "12 Jyotirling", which provides video, pictures and songs of Lord Shiva shrines. Also, the "Yoga" feature helps you practice Yoga postures.

Besides, it comes with Bhakti Sangeet (religious songs), Aartis, wallpapers and devotional themes.

The Bhakti application has more than 165 Aartis, Bhajans and Shabads in nine languages. There is also a scheduler that plays selected songs at a given time or date.

The application has the option of playing songs based on the day of the week, for example, Shiv Bhajans on Monday, Hanuman Bhajans on Tuesday and so on.

Commenting on the launch, AN Sehgal, the director of T-Series, said, "We are happy to introduce the innovative Bhakti Sagar mobile phone through Homeshop18 in India. This phone is pre-loaded with large devotional content and comes at a special introductory price for HomeShop18 customers."

A devotional game called 'Makhan Chor' has also been included. It is about helping child Krishna get to his makhan (butter).

The phone is available exclusively for about Rs 3,000 from homeshop18.com, a merchant website of the Network18 group.

Samsung rolls out Gingerbread upgrade

Galaxy Tab and Galaxy smartphone users can now upgrade to Android 2.3 as Samsung announces Android Gingerbread upgrade for various devices.

Samsung Electronics has officially announced that its Galaxy Tab and other Galaxy smartphones will soon start getting Android Gingerbread upgrades. The devices chosen for the upgrade are not few and include Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy Tab, and Galaxy Ace, Gio, Fit and mini smartphones.

The upgrade, from Android Froyo (Frozen Yoghurt) 2.2 to Android Gingerbread 2.3, will offer users faster performance with a low CPU consumption rate, while supporting powerful 3D Graphics for enhanced mobile gaming.

The user interface has also been improved, enabling faster access and control. Along with that, the new update is expected to bring better battery power utilisation and all round enhancements over the current Android 2.2 Froyo.

Samsung will roll out the updates in different stages starting with the Galaxy S in the UK and Nordic countries from mid May, which is an indication that the updates might start rolling out from tomorrow onward.

It will be followed by the updates for both smartphones and tablets in European markets, North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East Asia, Africa and the rest of the world in that order.

Indian users, hence, may get the update around the end of June or early in July this year.

Fly launches two touchscreen phones

While the Fly E-140 has notable feature like web camera, the E146 has a 3-inch WQVGA display among other notable features. Both the phones support various social networks.

Fly Mobile, the handset brand of UK based Meridian Group, has launched two touch screen mobile handsets, E-140 and E146. Both the devices are full-touch and has support for a wide range of social networks.

"We recognise the importance of social networks in the modern mobile industry," said Prem Kumar, chief executive officer of FLY India.

"The design and functionality of the our touch phones meet the needs of a highly digitally connected and style conscious youth audience. This offering is specially targeted to Indian youth which likes to carry a phone to complement and enhance their lifestyle," he added.

The E140 comes with vintage black coloured form-factor with red elements in design. Phone dimensions are very compact and weighs only 97g.

Fly E140 is equipped with a built-in digital zoom camera with video recording and Web-camera among other features. Content can be stored in phone memory or MicroSDHC card up to 8GB.

"Embedded audio player and FM-receiver can play music during nine hours continuously. Phone battery holds charge within nine hours in online mode and up to 300 hours in standby mode," the company claimed in a press release.

For virtual communication, Fly E140 uses WAP and GPRS modem, the phone supports Java and embedded E-mail client. Fly E140 has embedded organiser with reminder and tasks features, currency converter, calendar, alarm clock, calculator, along with a 500-cell memory phone book with additional memory of two SIM cards.

The E146 is a sturdy handheld gadget where best social networking services are combined with enhanced multimedia capabilities in a compact form. FLY E146 is pre-installed with Opera Mini browser.

A 3-inch WQVGA display occupies most of the phone's front panel. A silver bezel around the phone is a distinctive design feature which gives a futuristic touch to the model. The novelty enables mobile Internet, JAVA, GPRS and WAP. Pre-installed features include E-mail client and Opera Mini, a popular browser.

Fly E146 is a reliable assistant in daily tasks fitted with an organizer, reminder, memo manager, currency converter, calendar, alarm clock and calculator. Phone memory offers 500 cells with additional memory of two SIM cards.

Android update will be better: Nvidia CEO

Honeycomb tablets have struggled against iPad since their launch. The chief executive officer of Motorola Mobility, Sanjay Jha, had said that users are not buying Android tablets as there are not enough applications for it in the market.

The lacklustre sales of Android tablet PCs are due to retail and marketing problems, according to chief executive officer of Nvidia, Jen-Hsun Huang. Nvidia supplies processors for Android Honeycomb tablet.

Huang said in an interview that the next round of Android tablets "are expected to be better because the concerns are being addressed". The new tablets will be more advanced, thinner and lighter, added Huang.

Honeycomb tablets have struggled against iPad since their launch. The chief executive officer of Motorola Mobility, Sanjay Jha, had said that users are not buying Android tablets as there are not enough applications for it in the market.

Apple, on the other hand, is doing everything right. It has dedicated retail stores and partners. It also has billboards plastered everywhere so that users are constantly bombarded with messages about the things they could do if they had an iPad handy.

Poor sales of the first crop of Android tablets across the world have raised serious questions about the device. Prices of Android tablets have also dropped significantly since its launch.

Retailers are now afraid that this may set a dangerous precedent that may lead users to wait some time before they buy in the hope that prices will drop further still.

The specific problem was perhaps the price at which the entry level tablets are being sold. Apple sells the Wifi iPad at about $500 (Rs 22,400); whereas even low end Android tablets are 3G enabled, which makes them more expensive.

Top five Qwerty phones within Rs 3,500

Qwerty keypad is a must have feature for social media addicts because it makes typing easier. Here are five Qwerty phones with the best features within Rs 3,500.

If you are addicted to messaging or if you send a lot of mails from your phone, you probably need one that has a Qwerty keypad. This is especially true if you have a limited budget as bigger touch screen phones are much more expensive than these.

Here we have picked some mobile phones that have decent features along with a Qwerty keypad, and that cost within RS 3,500.

Nokia X2-01

This Nokia phone is a light weight device with a lot of social media applications, a 2.4 inch screen and one of the best keypads in this price bracket. A drawbacks of this phone is its camera, which is capable of just VGA (.3 megapixel) resolution.

Apart from that, the phone has all the typical features you expect from a Nokia phone — decent battery backup and easy to use interface (Nokia still has a simple UI for feature phones, unlike for its smartphones).

The phone comes with Flickr, Facebook and Twitter apps built in, and other apps can be downloaded from the Ovi Store. Bluetooth and FM radio too are present. The device's external memory can be expanded up to 8 GB. However, it does not use either Wifi or 3G. But then, this is a budget device.

The phone has a candy bar design, which feels nice to hold, and it weighs just 107 grams. The keypad is easy to use because spacing between keys is perfect.

If you are willing to overlook a bad camera (calling it average will not make sense when 2 megapixel has become the new average,) then it is a great phone, with a low price and decent features. Besides, it is good looking and is of standard Nokia quality.

The phone is available in several colours including red, blue, white and black, and costs just under Rs 3,500.

Micromax Q6

This one has both, a multitap and a slideout Qwerty keypad.

Qwerty phones are typically broad, which makes them slightly awkward to carry in the pocket, but since the keyboard slides back, this phone is as wide as a normal multitap phone; while is also has a large Qwerty keypad when needed.

The good part of this is that you get separate direction keys and larger spacing between keys, making it much easier to type with.

Other than that, this Micromax phone is a dual SIM device with a 2.4 inch screen that has 320x240 pixel resolution. Memory can be expanded up to 8 GB. There is also a 2 megapixel camera at the back. The phone sports a 3.5 mm jack, so you will be able to connect most headsets to it.

Along with that, you also get social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Nimbuzz. The default browser is Opera mini. For connectivity the phone uses Bluetooth and GPRS.

It is available in black colour and is priced at Rs 3,400.

Lava B8

This is the most feature rich phone in this list. It is a dual SIM device with a 3.2 megapixel camera and a flash that can also be used as a torch. It has 64 MB of internal memory expandable up to 16 GB through an SD card. Its screen measures 2.4 inches and displays 320x240 pixel resolution.

The phone features push mail service, aimed at people who are hooked to their emails. Connective options are also rich for this price bracket with Blutooth, Wifi and GPRS.

The device also has social networking apps, Opera Mini browser, an Indian calendar and music player with equalizer (and 3.5 mm jack) etc.

The phone has a gravity sensor and a motion sensor just in case you need to play games. The price is good too at Rs 3,400.

Alcatel ICE OT 606M

This single SIM slider phone from Alcatel is not much different from Micromax Q6, apart from the fact that the screen is a bit smaller at 2.2 inches and the camera offers VGA resolution.

Alcatel looks good, and with several dual colour options including pink and florescent green, it is especially appealing to women. The keypad is also well designed and as the phone sits well in the hand, typing is a lot more comfortable.

With Alcatel, you can expect slightly better quality but its availability has been an issue until now. The company has recently started to sell phones at Big Bazaar outlets, which is a welcome relief if you are looking for this phone.

ICE OT 606 is priced at Rs 3,350.

Lemon IQ 707

This dual SIM phone is one of the oldest in the market, but is also one of the best buys right now. It is very light at just 96 grams. The keypad is really comfortable to use, and its trackball too is smooth and of good quality.

Though the screen is small at 2.2 inches, its resolution is good. The phone has a 3.2 megapixel camera, which works well in most lighting conditions.

While it doesn't have connectivity options comparable to Lava B8, it does well for its price with Bluetooth and GPRS.

What impressed me most is the quality of the product, which, coming from an Indian manufacturer, is better than expected. The look and feel of the product is better than what its price, Rs 2,800, suggests.

Spice to launch tablet PCs in July

Spice had earlier announced that it plans to offer affordable Android devices to Indian consumers to surf the net, and Android handsets between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.

To capitalise on the Android and tablet wave, Spice will launch three tablets based on Android 2.3 operating system in India in July this year.

Dilip Modi, managing director of Spice Mobility, told 'The Mobile Indian', "We will launch 7, 9 and 10 inch tablets based on Gingerbread in mid-July and they will be available for less than Rs 20,000."

The upcoming 7 inch tablet, to be called Spice Mi-700, will have dual cameras for video calling and will be powered by a Qualcomm chipset.

Modi further said the tablets will come in 3G and Wifi models but didn't elaborate on their specifications.

Spice had earlier announced that it plans to offer affordable Android devices to Indian consumers to surf the net, and Android handsets between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 so that different strata of society can buy them.

Currently, Spice has two Android phones, Spice Mi-300 and Spice Mi-310.

Mi-300 is an Android 2.1 phone with an 8 cm capacitive touchscreen. It supports 3.5G and HSPA. The handset has a 5 megapixel camera, Wifi, GPS and AGPS. It also has Google messaging service with push mail.

Spice Mi-310 is based on Android 2.2 (Froyo) operating system. It is a touchscreen phone with GPS, AGPS and Wifi hotspot functionality that allows users to share their data connection with five handsets.